Samurai Banners

is a Japanese samurai drama film released in 1969. It was directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and is based on on the life of the famous Sengoku-era battle strategist, Yamamoto Kansuke.

Plot

Yamamoto Kansuke (Toshirō Mifune) is a general of warlord Takeda Shingen (Kinnosuke Nakamura), whose titular red banners are his trademark. [cite book | last = Galloway | first = Patrick | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves: The Samurai Film Handbook | publisher = Stone Bridge Press | date = 2005 | location = Berkeley, California | pages = 134-137 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 1880656930 ] Yamamoto has a ruthless but effective approach to battle and politics, and advises Tadeka Shingen on almost everything he does, including the assassination of Suwa Yorishige (Akihiko Hirata). Of Lord Suwa's household, Princess Yu (Yoshiko Sakuma) refuses to commit suicide, and the film comes to center on a love triangle between the lord, his general, and the princess.

The movie ends with the fourth Battle of Kawanakajima, in which Yamamoto erroneously believes his battle tactics have failed and commits a pincer attack, but is killed in action before the battle is won.

References